1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to an absorbent article comprising an upper, liquid-permeable cover sheet, a lower, liquid-impermeable cover sheet, and an absorption body arranged between the cover sheets.
2. Background Art
In connection with absorbent articles such as diapers, incontinence protectors for adults, and sanitary towels, there has long been a general need for materials and structures which are able to take up, distribute and absorb bodily excretions in a rapid and effective manner. Today's absorbent articles generally have good absorbency with a low risk of leakage and a high degree of comfort for the person wearing the absorbent article.
The requirement for rapid and effective absorbency is important not least in the case of diapers for very small infants and also for premature babies (i.e. babies born before pregnancy has reached its full term). In this connection, it should be noted that infants and premature babies produce excrement which is loose and runny in consistency. With today's diapers for infants, there is a risk of this loose excrement leaking at the sides in the crotch area and out towards the user's legs, and also along the back of the person wearing the diaper. Such leakage may entail a risk of, for example, soiling of clothes and bed linen. In general, it may be stated that, in connection with diapers for infants, ever greater demands are being placed on the ability to take up excreted material.
According to the prior art, a diaper for infants is normally made up of an upper, liquid-permeable cover sheet and a lower, liquid-impermeable cover sheet. An absorption body is arranged between these cover sheets. To prevent urine and excrement leaking out at the sides, i.e. in the transverse direction of the diaper, the latter is normally provided with two side barriers which extend in the longitudinal direction of the diaper, along each side. Moreover, these side barriers are designed so that they are raised slightly from the surface of the diaper. The side barriers can be provided with longitudinal elastic elements, such as threads or bands, in order to give the barriers their desired shape. In addition to having these longitudinal barriers, today's diapers are normally also provided with further longitudinal elements along the side edges, more specifically in the area at the user's crotch. These further longitudinal elements are also made with elastic elements and constitute so-called leg elastic which is intended to ensure that the diaper fits well and provides a seal against the user's legs.
With regard to diapers intended to be used on very small infants or premature babies (who may have a bodyweight of the order of 1 kg), there is a need to abandon the abovementioned known type of diaper construction. In particular, there is a need to use diapers which as far as possible use up a small amount of material, and the material must additionally be especially soft and gentle against the child's skin. For this reason, the abovementioned structure with separate side barriers and leg elastic does not appear to be suitable for diapers intended, for example, for premature babies.
Patent document EP 951890 discloses an absorbent article in the form of a diaper which is of a type comprising two side barriers oriented along a respective side of the diaper. Each of the side barriers comprises two longitudinal elastic elements. This arrangement provides a structure in which each side barrier is raised and additionally forms two longitudinal channels to the inside of each side barrier. The risk of lateral leakage of urine and excrement is reduced in this way. It should be noted that this known diaper has a structure with only one side barrier, in contrast to the type comprising both leg elastic and separate side barriers.
Although the diaper described in EP 951890 affords a basically satisfactory function, there is a need for further improved uptake, distribution and absorption of loose excrement in the type of diapers used on very small infants and in particular in the type used on premature babies. There is a need, not least, to reduce the risk of lateral leakage of loose excrement towards the user's legs. In addition to the need for reliable protection against lateral leakage, there are also corresponding requirements to reduce a risk of excrement leaking out at the rear and up towards the user's back. Moreover, it is particularly required that the type of diaper in question provides a good fit.